The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-10-01

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weaknesses, and kept him patient for
years on bed worse than a dying bed =
a bed of thorns, because bed of pain.
He knew that was coming that day, /
who had known and loved his mentor OF
old, and he bad been dreadtully excited,
for his brain is now weak, from pair
and the partial palsy of his lower limbs.
went in to see him with strange feelings
in my heart; something as though L was
going to meet a ghost, not the ghost OF
the graveyard but the ghost Of the past;
something that was filled with thrilling
memories, and yet could no longer re-
veal them. He was almost frantic for
awhile, wringing his withered hands and
crying like lost child. persuaded him
to drink cup of tea, and by soft touches
on his forehead, finally soothed him into
quietnees. He could not talk much, but
I talked. 1 told him many Of my sweet
and tender memories Of "a. @. T." and
how the work was going on in America,
and how, here in Scotland, no book has
been more popular as missionary vol
ume than the Thomas and Ely discus
sion. I parted with him as we do from
the dying, for 1 knew l should never
again pass over that Threshold; and he,
dear old man, he blessed me in words too
solemn to be ever repeated, l kneelmg
and his right hand upon my head,-the
blessing of patriarch. With sprays ofivy
from the lonely cabin, l went over to the
bright, cheerful house, feeling somehow
as il had passed from death unto life.
I had not thought would try to climb
the craig, but the hope that might find
near it's summit what 1 had been always
wishing for in all my journeys abroad,
stimulated me, and joined the party. 1t
looks sn easy ascent, being grassy to the
top, except in spots where surface quar-
ries exist Of the most beautiful quartz L
ever eaw, immense pieces lying about in
wonderful beauty. Our host, who has
been building new dyke each side OF
his long loaming, is finishing off the top
with these pure white stones, of every
shape, and the effect is unique beyond
description. But easy as it looked, L
found it long, weary way, and several
times was tempted to turn back and lose
the magnificent view, which may say here
is the finest landscape ever saw, except
that seen from Stirling CASTLE finer,
perhaps, as extent goes, but lacking the
thrilling historic touches which surround
"the key Of the highlands"
AS 1 scrambled up, for it was a scram-
BILE, the moss often breaking through and
letting you down ankle deep, with the
horrible feeling that you were going into
some bottomless pit. As this getting up
and falling down process went on, l
amused myself by gathering the wild
flowers; but suddenly, away went my
lovely handful, and was on my knees
devout as a sinner before a shrine, for
here was what 1 had been lo oking for, for
years-white heather! Not much OF it,
only one bunch of the delicate green,
lighter far than the foliage of the purple
heather. "Here's luck for meP' 1 ex-
claimed, "Look, now, all of you, and see
if you cannot find MORE And they did;
not much, but enough for all to adorn
their bonnets of blue" Call me foolish,
sentimental, childish, if you will, but
do prize the spray which have sacredly
kept for myself, having sent away nearly
all gathered. prize it because Of its
delicate beauty, and prize it because l
found it just when had given up all
hope of ever finding it. Whatever of
"good luck " it may bring me I cannot
say. [ only know that it is one Of the few
things which think precious enough to
press between the leaves of my little
Scotch Bible.
CONTINUED NEXT WEEK.